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Tewksbury man charged with blowing up mailbox

By Lisa Redmond, lredmond@lowellsun.com

Updated:
07/29/2013 04:48:53 PM EDT

Dennis Peach in Lowell District Court (Sun/Lisa Redmond)

LOWELL -- A 17-year-old Tewksbury man pleaded not guilty Monday to possession of an explosive device/bomb after he allegedly blew up a mailbox on Westcott Circle as revenge for someone who owed him money for marijuana.

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In Lowell District Court, Dennis J. Peach, of 119 Marshall St., pleaded not guilty to possession of a infernal machine, possession of an explosive/bomb, and malicious destruction f property over $250. He was released on personal recognizance with the condition that he stay away from a Wescott Circle home.

Tewksbury police responded at 10:30 p.m. Sunday to the home for a report of an explosive device. Police found the remnants of a Works bomb, which is made of Works toilet bowl cleaner, aluminum foil, and a plastic bottle. When these items are combined and pressured, the contents explode and can potentially cause damage to property and serious injury.

When police asked the homeowner who might have blown up his mailbox, he suggested that his son owed people some money and they may be responsible. The homeowner showed police his son's iPhone, which had numerous text messages, including one that stated: "We can solve this real easy and be straight again I dnt [sic] even care that you robbed peach I jus [sic] want some of my bills that you haven't payed me at all.dnt [sic] make me do something..."

During their investigation, police checked with the next door neighbor to see if he saw or heard anything. The neighbor's home is equipped with a video surveillance system.

The video showed that at 9:51 p.m. a sedan drives down the street and seconds later returns, stops in front of the home, and then leaves.

Police spoke to Christopher Manory, a 17-year-old Tewksbury man police considered a suspect because he sent the text messages to the homeowner's son. Manory allegedly admitted he was in the vehicle being driven by Peach. Manory told police that the homeowner's son allegedly owed Peach money and talked about retaliation. Manory said Peach picked him up on the day of the incident, they drove to their friend Zakaria Zahiri's house to swim in his pool and then they were going to the movies.

On the way to the movies, Peach stopped at his house and allegedly picked up the Works bomb. The three men drove to the Wescott Circle home where someone put the bomb in the mailbox. Then Peach drove up the road a short distance and waited for the explosion, police said.

Zahiri allegedly provided police with the same details, although he said Peach put the bomb in the mailbox and that all the materials used to make the Works bomb came from Peach's house, police said.

When police spoke to Peach, they said he was cooperative, confessing to placing the Works bomb in the mailbox. Peach allegedly told police that the homeowners son had owed him money for marijuana so he made the Works bomb and placed it in the mailbox. Peach said his friends were not involved in placing the bomb in the mailbox.

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